Bluestocking reeled in an enterprisingly ridden Emily Upjohn to win the June 29 Pretty Polly Stakes (G1) for Ralph Beckett, Rossa Ryan, and Juddmonte.
It was a first group 1 for Bluestocking and a first at the top level in Ireland for Ryan, whose belief that his filly would catch Emily Upjohn despite her opening up clear daylight with a quarter of a mile to go was fully justified.
Market support had been strong for Bluestocking and she held a position in the middle of the pack alongside Emily Upjohn. However, turning for home Kieran Shoemark made a positional readjustment on Emily Upjohn and brought her through to sit alongside Lumiere Rock at the head of the field.
With two furlongs to run, Emily Upjohn showcased her group 1 turn of foot as she moved away from her one-paced rivals. At this point, it appeared that Shoemark had played his cards perfectly and his filly hit a low of 1-33 in-running on the Betfair Exchange.
However, Ryan had spoken of his deep belief in Bluestocking in the build-up to Saturday’s race and kept pushing away on the 4-year-old. The filly motored past the rest of her rivals and set off in stern pursuit of Emily Upjohn.
The stiff finish at the Curragh started to come into play as Emily Upjohn’s exertions began to tell and Bluestocking moved into overdrive. There was an inevitable feeling about the result with half a furlong to go and so it proved, as Bluestocking overhauled Emily Upjohn by a half-length to triumph.
Aidan O'Brien-trained Content, wheeling back in eight days from an eighth-place finish in the Coronation Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot, was third.
"I’m speechless," Ryan said. "It was surreal. I thought she’d win (before the race)—I was very confident of her doing so—but when Kieran kicked I thought it's gone and it’s not coming back.
"She was picking up all the time and I was just wondering if the Gosden filly, as she’d been in front a long time, would she idle? Luckily for me, she did a little bit and my filly was hitting top gear. When we started hitting the hill at the furlong I thought ‘I might have you’ and when we got to the half-furlong pole I thought ‘We have you now,’ but I didn’t think I’d get him when he kicked turning in.
"I’m ecstatic. She’s deserving of this."
A 4-year-old daughter of Camelot, Bluestocking opened her account this season with a dominating victory in the Middleton Fillies Stakes (G2) last month at York. Prior to the Pretty Polly, she was placed twice last year at the group 1 level with runner-up efforts in the Irish Oaks (G1) and British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1).
She was shortened to 5-2 favorite (from 4) by Betfair and Paddy Power for the Nassau Stakes (G1) at Glorious Goodwood, and the race is likely to be her next target.
"It’s a great day and I’m very pleased," Beckett said. "You look back on last year and we were talking about whether she should be left in training. Juddmonte had no doubt about that and today justifies that all. Her next start is likely to be the Nassau Stakes."
Bluestocking overhauls Emily Upjohn near the line in a thrilling Group 1 Cairn Community Games Pretty Polly Stakes!
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) June 29, 2024
Many congratulations to @Rossaryan15, @RalphBeckett and @JuddmonteFarms pic.twitter.com/paxiiJXQOD
